Gacha Kingdom Building

Chapter 333: Twin Stars (02)

--This Chapter is written in Maya’s POV--

I sat beside the corpse of Abdure, the first God to die in the Divine Banquet.

While Asdrea and Ythyleon joyfully drank near us and the Champions investigated the most recent murders, Azure knelt by my side.

Her expression was completely different from before; there were no signs of the anger she showed when Miwen was around, despite my cutting open her fellow God.

Azure: "...Why are you cutting it this way?"

Maya: "It’s easier to peel off the layers like this. Look."

Following a straight line, I cut the corpse’s wrist.

However, even when putting the knife underneath, I couldn’t pull the layer. To do that, I’d have to cut a long line from his shoulder, which was impractical with my amateur skills.

The V-cut I made on his abdomen gave me a much easier edge to pull.

Azure: "Oh... That’s so smart!"

She began patting my back, making it hard for me to maintain precision.

But I didn’t feel it was malicious.

If anything, she felt much more sincere than before.

Maya: "I caught a few glimpses of you two. You seemed close."

Azure: "Aha! You know how it is... That guy’s always hitting on me~"

That didn’t match what I’d seen.

I saw them together, but in most of their interactions, she seemed to be the one leaning into him.

He even had a slightly annoyed look in his eyes, though it was mixed with a resignation that made me feel they were good friends.

Maya: "...You’re not angry anymore? Or is your part done?"

Azure: "Hmph! I’m still frustrated, you know? If I see your brother, I’m taking his head off."

That didn’t sound like a lie.

However, rather than performative like before, her anger felt more playful.

Almost jealous.

Maya: "But it’s not him that you’re frustrated with, is it?"

The blue-haired Goddess squinted, her hair swirling down.

Azure: "Hmn?"

Maya: "...You feel like someone who values others, or at least, this man."

It was often easier to "Act what you know."

While I could tell she was exaggerating, I found sincerity a layer beneath that.

Maya: "Seeing him dead bothered you, right? The thing I don’t understand is why you’d participate in this game despite feeling this way. Could you explain?"

She blinked a couple of times.

Her expression turned from solemn to amused, her lips curling upward.

Azure: "I can see why you like her, Asdrea."

While he didn’t say anything back, Asdrea raised a glass, winking at her.

During their chatter, I managed to get another layer of Abdure’s corpse peeled.

It still seemed correct.

Or rather, perfect.

Azure: "I suppose... I don’t want to see those I love falling into despair."

Some of her swirls became undone, their color turning brighter.

It was like her hair was slowly turning into a peaceful sea.

Maya: "That’s not a bad thing."

Azure: "Right? Hehe~"

She caught a strand of my own hair, twirling it.

Even though my hair was one of the few things about my appearance I cared about, I ended up letting her do as she pleased.

Though my frustration might’ve shown a little, as her smile grew more teasing, and she ran her finger into another strand.

Maya: "Is this game that important to you? Or rather, to them?"

Azure: "Of course. After experiencing all that life has to offer, over and over again... The only thing that quells our boredom is the unpredictability of other mortals and Gods. As they say, Heaven is other people."

Maya: "Oh. I love that. It’s much better than the version we have on Earth, if you ask me."

I couldn’t help but smile back.

Maya: "But still... Don’t you think there are better ways to help your friends?"

Azure: "Hm?"

She leaned closer, holding both hands between her legs like a curious little kid.

Her blue eyes, when not performing, were both deep and calming.

They reminded me a little of Miwen’s, though his was slightly darker.

Maya: "I understand not wanting to hurt those you love, but sometimes, that’s exactly what hurts them the most. If there’s something about them that you don’t like, you should express that."

Even though I had managed the next cut, I took a deep breath before continuing.

Azure: "...Gods can be rather stubborn. It comes with the age."

She glanced at Asdrea.

And then she slouched on the ground, looking at Abdure’s corpse.

Maya: "In that case, starting tomorrow will be harder than starting today."

She lowered her gaze.

I waited a few seconds, but she didn’t answer me.

Maya: "Still perfect..."

There was only one layer left.

I had to be careful, though, as it would expose Abdure’s organs.

Erik: "So that’s how you do it..."

Maya: "Hm?"

Even though I had to concentrate, it was the first time Erik had broken the silence in a while, and it drew my attention so much that I stopped my hands for a second.

Erik: "Nothing."

His eyes stayed fixed on me.

Hidden behind his glasses, I had a hard time understanding them.

Erik: "I thought you had already reached a conclusion. Why are you wasting your time?"

Maya: "...I thought you wanted the reward. Why are you not investigating?"

I got the last layer peeled.

Despite being a God, Abdure’s corpse was exactly like a human body, and his organs were no different.

The shape of his lungs and even the weight of his heart were incredibly precise.

It really was the perfect corpse.

Erik: "There’s no point. You were most likely correct."

Maya: "Then... Why did you force Asdrea’s hand?"

Erik: "So that I wouldn’t be next on the chopping block."

As expected of Erik, he had even figured out the rules...

Even though he probably didn’t have to worry, it was very much like him to increase his chances as much as possible.

Still, since he answered me, it was only fair to return the favor.

Maya: "Even though I already know the killer, it seems I’ll have to expose the charade to end it."

Erik: "Is that why you’re not focusing on the first victim like the others?"

Maya: "Yes. That’d be a dead end."

Besides, whether because of Azure’s reaction or just his status as a God, most Champions were unwilling to touch Abdure’s corpse.

Maya: "What I’m looking for is... how and why, rather than who..."

I had already declared my suspect, loud and clear, and I still believed it.

But since that wasn’t enough, I had no choice but to investigate further.

Maya: "What do you think, Erik?"

I handed him one of the lungs I had removed.

Erik: "Looks... Perfectly normal."

Maya: "I thought so too."

The organs weren’t leading me anywhere; his insides were completely what I’d expect.

Yet, my instincts screamed the key was within his corpse, so I continued dissecting it.

The nerves, bones, and even the muscles all seemed right too, but...

The first step to hide something was always to make it look right.

I thought I’d reach an answer by feeling the weight, but since that wasn’t the case, I started testing a few theories.

But between my tests, the candles flickered again.

More champions appeared dead, alongside another corpse.

Asdrea: "It’s about to end now."

Maya: "...Why do you bring yourself to do this?"

Asdrea: "Whatever could you mean?"

Even though I believed in him, I couldn’t understand him.

His heart was buried underneath even more layers of time and experience than Azure’s, yet he felt much more caring than she did.

And despite that... Despite being the one shaping this world...

This was what he had chosen.

Maya: "You said you didn’t enjoy tragedies."

Asdrea: "I hate them."

Maya: "Then why would you do this? To yourself, no less..."

He drank from his glass, staring at me with a solemn expression.

After a deep breath, he turned his chair slightly to face Erik and me.

Asdrea: "Because some things are more important than ourselves."

Maya: "...But does it have to be this way?"

Asdrea: "Yes. For now."

Even though I could feel his heart, I couldn’t reach it.

In a way, he reminded me of Miwen.

The more I thought about it, the more it stung me.

Maya: "...I see."

After a few minutes, I finally found what I was looking for.

Maya: "Can you break this for me, Erik?"

I tossed him one of the corpse’s arm bones.

Erik: "...Oh?"

As soon as he shattered it in two, the bone began dripping blood.

Almost as if it were made out of it.

Maya: "...There is only one vampire-"

Suddenly, the strands of blood burst toward Erik and me, coagulating into small spears.

They were too fast to dodge.

I could only brace myself.

Azure: "You’re bolder than I thought."

The blood spears swirled in the air, turning into water before Azure.

Catherine: "Out of my way, please."

Her voice sounded like a cold whisper.

There was no emotion and barely a tone.

Catherine: "Asdrea ordered me to-"

Asdrea: "Stop it."

The next burst of blood hit Asdrea’s chest, disappearing without so much as a cut on his skin.

Catherine: "I-I’m sorry. I was just-"

Cold sweat ran across her face, her voice trembling.

Asdrea: "Oh, don’t worry. You did a good job. As did you."

He stood from the chair, offering me a hand.

Asdrea: "Would you mind explaining your findings?"

His voice cut through the chatter, drawing everyone’s attention.

Maya: "...This isn’t a real corpse. It’s only made to look like one."

It was tricky.

Despite what Miwen told me about other worlds not having reached Earth’s level of scientific knowledge, the corpse was anatomically perfect.

However, Catherine was a vampire.

She knew everything there was to know about the insides of a corpse, down to minute details like the weight of the organs, their positions, and everything that made a person.

Of course, she was especially good with blood, where it came from, where it went, and where it bled more.

But despite all her knowledge, she relied on magic to build it.

The bones that should never bleed, once destroyed, would spill out all the blood that made them.

That was how.

As for why...

Maya: "I don’t think you did this without purpose. Or at least, I don’t want to believe in that..."

But I only had one working theory.

Maya: "I know that you, or one of the other Gods, was responsible for the first murder. However, after that, it was Abdure and the deceased Gods doing the killing. This was just... culling our numbers."

Asdrea didn’t answer.

The other Gods also stayed quiet.

And as expected, the dining hall erupted into chaos.

Champions tried to leave, but the doors were locked and wouldn’t budge, even after combined attacks.

Since the very beginning, we had no choice but to participate in this game.

Maya: "As for how you determine the next target... It’s based on our entertainment value, isn’t it?"

I faced the ground, clenching my fists.

Even though I wanted to believe in what I saw buried within them, this was... too much.

I could never accept it.

Maya: "...Tell me this is enough to end it."

Asdrea: "Unfortunately, you are only half correct."

He landed a hand on my shoulder.

Maya: "W-What?"

I looked at the Gods.

They seemed just as confused as I was.

Asdrea: "Yes, we have agreed to reduce your numbers in preparation for the second phase. This was originally a vampire ritual, courtesy of your Goddess...."

I glared at Catherine, and she glared back, narrowing her eyes.

But once Ythyleon approached and whispered into her ear, she regained her composure.

Meanwhile, Asdrea cast a gust of wind that brought the corpses of the two other fallen Gods.

Both had also been stabbed in their backs.

Once they lay on the table, Catherine opened them with a thin line of blood, her mastery a sign of pure experience I couldn’t hope to match.

Nor did I want to.

Asdrea: "As you’ve discovered, Abdure was a decoy and the one behind the Champions’ deaths... But this is where you were wrong."

The blood strands brought him one of the Gods’ bones.

After Azure cleaned it up, he offered it to Erik, who broke it just like he’d done to the decoy corpse.

It should have bled all the same.

But it didn’t.

?????: "That’s not very fair, is it?"

From the end of the dining hall, I heard a very familiar voice.

His tone was cheeky; he sat backwards on a chair, facing Asdrea.

On his face, a smug smile.

Azure: "How did you-"

Miwen: "I happen to be friends with a witch in the audience. In and outs are easy for her."

He placed a familiar cloth on the table next to him.

It was the invisibility cloak from a popular cartoon series.

Asdrea: "Bwahaha! Ah... Right. But you haven’t forgotten, yes? You may not have been the culprit behind Asdrea’s murder, but you have once again disappeared right as two Gods died."

Maya: "You’re still going ahead with that?"

Even though by this point, he and Azure both wore similar amused smiles, they still kept the charade going...

Miwen: "Yeah. But this time, I got your culprits on tape."

He took out his phone and showed us the screen.

A video started playing, showing the death of the first god after Abdure.

Erik: "...How did you capture it? There was a perception block."

It was something we only realized after Abdure’s death, or maybe something that had only been implemented after it.

Miwen: "Well... There was one for the participants, of course, but not for the audience."

His smile grew wider.

Reflected on Miwen’s phone, we could see that the first victim had been killed by the second.

And the second had been killed by Abdure himself.

Miwen: "I don’t know much about this place, but I know a few things about you. Your pal over there said you had to keep the rules. I imagine Gods aren’t exempt?"

Asdrea: "It’s the job of a king to promote stability and protect his people, is it not?"

Miwen: "Hah. I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about..."

Asdrea laughed, but Miwen wasn’t finished.

Miwen: "If I had to guess, they broke a rule. Maybe different rules. Maybe a rule of the Palace, or of the Divine Event. Whatever the case... For one to kill the other... That sounds like... rats?"

Asdrea: "That’s right. I knew one of them was collaborating with the Caravan to kill Abdure, so... I told them my suspicions."

So there was a reason, after all...

I knew I wasn’t wrong about him.

But that only made it worse, as I was now sure about it.

Asdrea had a purpose behind everything.

One that he would sacrifice his own ideals for.

Miwen: "...When Abdure died, the traitor knew you’d go question them. But by killing the other suspect, he could make up whatever story he wanted and shift the blame, so... You eliminated them. Smart."

The pressure in the room grew, and everyone, Champion and God alike, fell to their knees.

Then, Asdrea calmly walked toward a God next to Catherine.

Asdrea: "Congratulations, you’ve really impressed me, you two."

A white beam fell from the sky, turning into a spear as it reached his hand.

Asdrea: "Even though you cheated, given the circumstances, you are hardly to blame. Now, you, on the other hand....You’ve disappointed me."

???: "Your Majesty, wait-"

As the spear pierced the man’s skull, beams of light erupted from the feet of all of his Champions, evaporating them where they stood.

Asdrea: "Since your Champions solved the case, you can have this one’s planets, Catherine."

Catherine: "Y-Yes..."

She lowered her head even further.

Maya: "...Why?"

Asdrea: "He broke the rules. Favored his own Champions when we were determining who’d make the cut."

He walked past me, releasing the gravity magic that kept everyone kneeling before him.

As I stood up, his hand fell on my shoulder, and he whispered into my ear...

Asdrea: "...It often takes a tragedy to prevent another. Sorry about this."

He looked... hurt.

Maya: "...I hope one day, you can free yourself from your shackles. But I’ll never accept this."

Asdrea: "Yes, you should never."

He walked toward Miwen.

He had also whispered something into his ear, but I couldn’t hear.

After about an hour, we were guided out of the dining hall, toward bedrooms inside the palace.

We were told to rest, as the second phase of the Divine Event was set to begin in twelve hours.